The Bit Witch: By Blood
by LadySMaeve
Summary: Chapter Two: Maeve doubts her team mates loyalty and gets an unwelcome visitor. This is sort of a sequal to Silverwolf043's Being Alive only it stars Maeve (You should really read Being Alive, it's soooo good)
1. Prolouge: Scythe through the Harvest

I don't own Beyblade. Some very happy and very rich Japanese guy dose. Anything original belongs to me and if you use it without permission I will skin you alive then cover you in salt. (This is the fate that awaits all flames as well!) The song 'Pilgrim' is by Enya and so belongs to her. (There won't be songs in every chapter, don't worry.)  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The Bit Witch  
  
Prologue  
  
Six Years Earlier  
  
~ Pilgrim, how you journey ~  
  
~ on this road you chose ~  
  
~ to find out why the winds die ~  
  
~ and where the stories go. ~  
  
Serafine Maeve Bitson shook back her short, silver gold hair and concentrated on the battle ahead. It was the final of the local heats, whoever won this battle would go on into the nationals, it didn't help her that no one thought that she would make it out of this battle with her blade intact.  
  
~ All days come from one day ~  
  
~ that much you must know, ~  
  
~ you can not change what's over ~  
  
~ but only where you go. ~  
  
"And welcome to the final heat! And this is looking to be an incredible battle." The announcer, err, announced. "On the one side we have the local champ, Brian, with his bitbeast, Leoteer. This cat bitbeast is super quick and super strong. Brian and Leoteer made it all the way to the national singles final last year, only to be defeated by the reigning champ. This year Brian looks set to do the same. Except loose, of course. And on the other side we have Maeve. The newcomer who surprised us all by getting this far without a bitbeast. And at only eight years old, she's the youngest competitor, as well as one of the only girls. I don't hold out much hope for her, thought. She's gonna have a hard time with Brian."  
  
'Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. It sounds like they want me to loose.' She thought dryly.  
  
~ One way leads to diamonds, ~  
  
~ one way leads to gold, ~  
  
~ another leads you only ~  
  
~ to everything your told. ~  
  
"Will the competitors please step out into the arena." The announcer asked. Maeve got a good look at her opponent. Brian was an arrogant looking, pretty boy teen. He flourished his blade.  
  
"So. Ready to go down, girlie?"  
  
'Girlie!? I'll show him girlie!' Maeve thought to herself.  
  
~ In your heart you wonder ~  
  
~ which of these is true; ~  
  
~ the road that leads to nowhere, ~  
  
~ the road that leads to you. ~  
  
"Bladers! Are you ready? Three. Two. One."  
  
"Let It Riiiiiiiiiiiiiipppppppppppppppppp!" Brain and Maeve finished for him. Their two blades flew in to the arena and began to ram into each other. Sparks flew as the blades spun and rammed, spun and rammed. Then.  
  
"Leoteer! Speed Swipe!" Brian's bitbeast appeared from the blade, a great golden cat. Maeve gasped as the bit beast began to shred her blade.  
  
'No! No! No!' She thought. 'I can't loose! I won't loose! I'll show this bully whose boss!'  
  
Just as she thought that, the crystal pendant that had belong to her mother, who had died years ago, began to glow with a strange light.  
  
~ Will you find the answer ~  
  
~ in all you say and do? ~  
  
"What the fu-!" Maeve yelled.  
  
"What this?" Asked the announcer excitedly. "Something's happening to Maeve!" The bright light suddenly shot from the pendant located just above Maeve's heart.  
  
~ Will you find the answer ~  
  
~ in you? ~  
  
The light shot into her blade and the reemerged from the center. The light took the form of a great man, tall and terrible. A white skull appeared from beneath a black hood and in his bony hands a scythe appeared.  
  
"The protector." Maeve whispered. For it was the ancient protector of the Bitson family. The protector raised the scythe in both hands and swept it down. Brian's blade went zooming out of the ring and the cloaked figure disappeared into the blade, which flew into Maeve's hand and in her head she heard a voice say:  
  
.:I have served and guided you ancestors and now I will serve and guide you, little mistress.:.  
  
~ Each heart is a pilgrim ~  
  
~ each one wants to know ~  
  
~ the reason why the winds die ~  
  
~ and where the stories go. ~  
  
She could numbly hear the stadium cheering, announcer whopping and Brian screaming that it 'wasn't fair'. All she could think about was what had happened. 'I've got a bitbeast and I've won. I'll got on to the nationals and I've got a bitbeast.' She slowly walked away from the stadium, staring at her blade. It was black with red markings now, and there were two small scythes on the attack ring. She gazed in wonder at the tiny picture in the center, the bit, of a skellington in a long black cloak swinging a scythe that trailed red sparks. The Protector must have changed the blade to suite his need when he entered it. She was so lost in her own little world that she didn't notice the tall figure in front of her until she ran into it.  
  
"Owch!" She complained and looked up to say something along the lines of 'Why don't ya watch were ya goin!' Or 'Middle of the corridor: Yeah, great place to stand!' till she saw who it was.  
  
"Grandmother!?"  
  
~ Pilgrim, in your journey ~  
  
~ you may travel far, ~  
  
~ for pilgrim it's a long way ~  
  
~ to find out who you are... ~  
  
The woman looked down on her small granddaughter. The woman, despite being a grandmother, looked remarkably young, her silver gold hair was still thick and her arctic eyes were sharp and piercing. They looked like mother and daughter, so alike they were. "Serafine Maeve." She stated, simply. Maeve winced, no one ever called her by her full name except her grandmother.  
  
"I saw the battle." She continued.  
  
"Then you saw. . . Him?" Maeve asked.  
  
"Yes, the ancient one. He responded to you, in that arena, and now you have command of him. You know your namesakes?"  
  
"My ancestors?" Maeve shrugged. "Serafine was burned as a witch in the middle ages and Maeve is an ancient sorceress from local legend." Maeve recalled the stories of her ancestors from when she had been young.  
  
~ Pilgrim, it's a long way ~  
  
~ to find out who you are... ~  
  
"Yes, their ancient power has come to you. That is why the protector came to your aid when you called him. You can call others like him."  
  
"Other bitbeasts!?"  
  
"Yes. Come with me, and I shall teach you. The protector shall always remain to help and guide you, even when I am gone." For a moment Maeve thought she saw a look of sorrow on her grandmothers face, but it was gone in an instant. "Your 'bitbeast's' name is Scythe."  
  
"Scythe." Repeated Maeve.  
  
'A good name,' she thought as she followed her grandmother down the corridor, 'and together, we shall go through our opponents like the scythe through the harvest.'  
  
~ Pilgrim, it's a long way ~  
  
~ to find out who you are. ~  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Not very good I know but give me a break, it's 11:41 PM local time! It will get better, promise! 


	2. Chapter 1: Away with the Faeries

I own everything you don't recognise from Beyblade, except for Reena, who is owned by Silverwolf043, and is used with her full permission. Don't worry if something's don't make sense right now, it'll be explained later.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
In the darkness of her room Lady Serafine Maeve Bitson awoke with a start, a voice had summoned her from dark dreams, telling her to come to the place appointed by her ancestors.  
  
"Scythe?" She hissed under her breath. Her red and black blade, which had been laying on the cheery wood bedside table pulsed with a soft red light.  
  
.:Humm.:. Came the voice in her head, her bitbeast sounded sleepy. .:You wanted something Maeve?:.  
  
"Who wants me?" She asked in a whisper, "Which one?"  
  
.:Lets see.:. Maeve felt Scythe reach out and sense the surrounding countryside with his mind. .:I think it's Faye.:. He said, with an amused sound to his telekinetic voice.  
  
"Faye!?" Maeve grined in the gloom. "I haven't heard from her since Grandmother died!"  
  
.:She wants to talk to you, she says it's important.:.  
  
"At the grove?"  
  
.:Where else?:.  
  
Maeve stood up, her long white nightgown stirring in the soft brezze comming through the open window. Her long hair loose to her waist. Brilient eyes glowing softly in the dark.  
  
"Is everyone asleep?" She asked, a still moment.  
  
.:Your teammates are all asleep.:.  
  
"Reena?"  
  
.:The Key is sleeping, she's dreaming of Kai.:.  
  
Maeve suddenly felt mischievous. "And what exactly is she dreaming about?" She questioned her bitbeast tartly.  
  
.:A chocolate bath.:. She could 'hear' the slight snicker in Scythe's voice. .:Don't worry, they will be safe for a few hours.:.  
  
Maeve grinned and walked over to the peg by the door, from which a long, snowy white riding cloak hung. She swiftly drew it about her and did up the fastenings.  
  
.:Are you going to fly?:. Asked Scythe, his 'voice' sounding dozy.  
  
"Of course." Maeve replied promptly. She walked over to the window and threw open the curtains. She was a striking figure in the blue moonlight. Slender, strong, enigmatic and enthral. "See you later, Scythe." She told the beast.  
  
.:Goodnight 'Eve.:. After a few moments Maeve could tell he was sleeping again.  
  
Maeve grinned again and opened the window fully. She then climbed out onto the ledge. It was about half four in the morning and the full moon kept a watchful eye over the slumbering mountainous countryside. It was late spring, early summer, but it was still cold.  
  
Hesitating only for a moment they young woman threw herself over the edge of the sill with a small yelp.  
  
A few seconds later a large barn owl with sharp green eyes flew away.  
  
  
Half an hour later Maeve walked silently threw a small wood on top a large tor. Oak, thorn and birch, the most ancient and magical of trees surrounded her. Her eyes and ears were alert for sounds, her feet making hardly an noise as she walked.  
  
At length she came to a small clearing of trees, smooth, worn rocks were scattered across it, from under a large, gnarled oak tree issued forth a small stream, crystal clear and cool.   
  
Maeve placed on hand in the water and cupping it, drank, careful not to spill a drop, as if it was the most costly wine. She then sat down on a rock and waited.  
  
"Well," she said, "i'm here."  
  
"She's going to be late!" Came a hoarse croak. Maeve gave a little jump and a small 'Argh!' She turned round and saw a large raven perched on a birch branch.  
  
"Brendan! You scared me!"  
  
"Ha!" The raven laughed. "Been having fun gallivanting with the Key and her friends!?"  
  
"I have not been 'gallivanting' Brendan. And they're not just Reena's friends, they're mine!"  
  
"Found your mate yet? O nameless one."  
  
"Shut up, you crow! What the hells are you doing here anyways!?"  
  
"Faye summoned me as well, harlot!"  
  
"Why you-!"  
  
.:Stop it both of you!:. Came the new voice, one that was felt, not heard.  
  
"Told ya she'd be late!" Said Brendan the raven gleefully.  
  
.:Silence Brendan, stop pestering Serafine Maeve!:.  
  
"Yeah, stop pestering me!" Hissed Maeve. "Lady Faye." She greeted the voice. At the foot of the oak tree from which the stream flowed there appeared an tall, dark haired woman dressed in a black and red dress, there was a small circle of silver on her head.  
  
"Maeve," the woman, Faye, said, "You are well?"  
  
"How can I be otherwise?" Maeve said with a smile.  
  
"And- the Key?"  
  
Maeve scowled. "And we move on to Reena. Yes, she's well, they haven't tried to hurt her."  
  
"You haven't told her about us." It was a statement, not a question. Maeve went slightly red.   
  
"Well, she knows Fairies exist, and that i'm part Faerie, what else dose she need to know?"  
  
"Oh dear," said the raven, "you haven't told her? Have you?"  
  
"I do not see the need for me to tell them that! It's not as if it makes any difference in my life!"  
  
"I would like to meet her." Put in Faye, quietly.  
  
"Me too." Said Brendan.  
  
"Oh yes," Maeve put in, "the poor girl wants a normal life and a talking raven and a Fae Queen want me to bring her along for a visit! Kai thinks i'm a trigger happy lunatic already, Tyson and Max think i'm weird, Kenny keeps going on about how I should die young because I can charge electricity through my body and Ray-" At this Maeve trailed off. "I don't think I want to know what Ray thinks of me." She finished.  
  
There was a pregnant pause then. "You fancy that Ray, don't you?" From Brendan.  
  
Maeve went bright red. "I never said I did!"  
  
"You do! You so do!" Cackled Brendan.  
  
"Brendan!" Snapped Faye. The raven became quiet. "Eve," she said softly. Maeve looked at her in an embarrassed sort of way. "Maeve, you know what that girl is, and what you are. You and the rest of your team must watch over her. You, Maeve, have to make sure that she is kept safe from our enemies. You know her fate."  
  
"It's a hard way and it doesn't have to be so, she has suffered already." Muttered Maeve.  
  
"NO!" Barked Faye, her sapphire eyes glowing like blue fire. "You cannot change the pattern! You are Mage, it is forbidden. For Mages-"  
  
"Serve the Pattern; thought we are accused of following our own will it is for the glory of the One, and the Pattern that we labour. We work directly with the heart of magic and have little need for gods and lesser enchantments." Finished Maeve in a monotones voice that sounded like some route remembered teaching.  
  
"Serve the Pattern, but do not change it." Said Brendan, sharing a nod with Faye. "You, I, Lady Faye and even the Key are only threads in the Pattern. We cannot see the final end, only the One can."  
  
"Tell your team mates who you are." Finished Faye. "If you do not, I foresee that terrible thinks will happen."  
  
"Alright." Said Maeve sulkily. Then something else came to her. "Why did you call Brendan as well?"  
  
"He is to go with you to the 'tournament'."   
  
"WHAT!?" Screamed Maeve. "TAKE THAT- THAT- THING TO THE EUROPEAN BEYBLADING TOURNAMENT!?"  
  
"Who are you calling a thing!?" Demanded Brendan. Maeve wasn't listening.  
  
"Oh, yes, that'll look really good: turning up with a talking crow! What'll people think!?"  
  
"Thanks for making me feel so wanted." Muttered Brendan.  
  
"He is going with you to keep an eye on you."  
  
"I don't need him to keep and eye on me! I can look after myself, you know!"  
  
"He will go because I feel something will happen." Said Faye.  
  
"And I don't suppose you'll tell me what this terrible thing is, huh?"  
  
"I cannot Maeve, you know that."  
  
"It's not as if I've got enough on my plate with Delphine and that team of hers."  
  
"The Morrigane." Put in Brendan, with mock helpfulness. If looks could kill, the raven would have been struck dead several times over.  
  
"What happens if some 'norms' hear him talking?" Asked Maeve, desperate to get out of having to take Brendan.  
  
"Only you will be able to hear him." The Faerie said with a smile. "Maeve, I think I know best, I am your cousin and I am countless years older than you."  
  
"I don't need a baby-sitter." Maeve muttered sulkily.  
  
"Like you didn't need a baby-sitter when you let that foaming at the mouth werewolf in the school." Brendan stated dryly.  
  
"He sounded sane when I talked to him!"  
  
"Or the time you turned Magnus into a duck."  
  
"I was under the influence of the 'ale mind' curse!"  
  
"You mean you were drunk!"  
  
Faye smiled softly as the raven and mage argued. Brendan was two hundred years old and extremely wise, he was also very senile. Maeve acted older but she was really very young. None of them noticed the horizon lightening.  
  
"You are such a egoistic-" Maeve was stopped mid insult when she heard a little gasp from Faye. Maeve's bright eyes shot over the tree tops to the blood red sky. "Sunrise." She said in growing horror.  
  
"Lady Faye!" Screamed Brendan. "Get back before the gate closes!"  
  
Faye turned back to the tree and ran. As the first ray of light hit the oak Faye vanished with a brilliant flash, leaving Brendan and Maeve alone in the clearing.  
  
"This is all your fault." Hissed Brendan to the Mage.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
A little confusing, I know, but hey, wanna know more? 


	3. Chapter 2: A Bitter Heart

I own Maeve, Brendan, Scythe, Faye and Delphine. Reena and Vironise belong to Silverwolf043. Everything else belongs to the people who own Beyblade. Not me.  
  
~*~  
  
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"  
  
Ray stopped as he walked along the corridor of Bitson Manor.   
  
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"  
  
Everyone else had gone to the local town to do some shopping, including Kai, much to everyone's surprise. Probably something to do with Reena. He had decided not to go, as he'd wanted to have a shower. When they had awoke Maeve had left.  
  
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"  
  
Perhaps she was back?  
  
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"  
  
Ray's amber eyes peered round a door into the training room. Maeve was indeed back. Ray turned slightly red at what she was wearing. A black sports bra and a pair of black judo trousers. He noticed, not for the first time, just how well developed her young body was, how slim and muscular she was, the way her soft hair swung from side to side as she high kicked the punch bag.   
  
He had seen Maeve fight on many occasion since she had joined the team. She had laughingly told him that her secret was a good diet, daily training and being on first name terms with the Master Vampire and Alfa werewolf.  
  
He hoped she was joking about the vampires and werewolves.  
  
"Hello Ray. What to you want?"  
  
Ray had been expecting that. Maeve had a disturbing habit of doing things like that. She knew who was at the door with out opening it. As soon as the phone rang she knew who it was, on a good day she phoned you at least five minutes before you rang her.  
  
"Err," started Ray, "have you got a hairbrush? Only I can't find mine"  
  
Maeve spun round quickly, and bit her lip when she saw Ray. Dripping wet with only a towel wrapped round him, she could feel herself going week at the knees. His black hair was unbound and hung down to the ground.  
  
"Maeve?" Asked Ray again, gripping his towel in embarrassment.  
  
Maeve continued to stare. "Muwaaaaaaayes." She managed. "Yes, I do. Yes hairbrush. I have brush for hair!" She stuttered and in a high, tight voice. "Follow me."  
  
As she walked swiftly to her bed room she berated herself mentally. 'Great! Just great Maeve! Bloody hells! Why'd you have to go all gooey about Ray!? He's a human, non mage, not magic!! It'll never work out! They never do! Remember what happened last time!? Last time you tried to get close to humans they stoned you!! As soon as they know all they need to know they'll dump you! All they care about is making sure Reena's safe!!'  
  
Maeve shook her head sadly. 'You'll have to leave them, Maeve old girl. The don't understand the Duty. I must not get feelings like this.' She sighed and looked back to Ray. 'He doesn't care for me, just for Reena. And I shouldn't care for him' she though bitterly.  
  
'But then. . . . . .why do I.'  
  
~*~  
  
"Here ya go." She passed him her hairbrush to Ray.  
  
"Thanks." He treated her to a smile. He had a wonderful smile. He started to brush his hair in her mirror. Maeve retreated to the door to watch.  
  
"Have you ever decided to have it cut?" She asked after a while.  
  
"No not really." Answered Ray, not looking at her. "I like it like this. It's traditional."  
  
"You like tradition?"  
  
"It reminds me of being back home." He looked at her in the mirror. "Are your traditions doing spells in the forest with no clothes on?" He asked her, only half joking.  
  
Maeve wrinkled her nose. "Technically it's called 'sky clad' and it's not necessary!" She snapped.  
  
"Okay, okay. Take it easy, I was only asking."  
  
'Oh were you?' Maeve though bitterly. Nether of them said anything for a while, Maeve simply watching the brush go through those silky tresses. She found herself wishing she could run her fingers through it, smell it, feel it, bring her hand round the back of his head, through that wonderful hair and press his lips softly against hers. . .  
  
"You have beautiful hair." She sighed. Ray stiffened.  
  
"What!?"  
  
Maeve froze. Damn!  
  
"Err, your hair. I. . .know of lots of. . .girls who would. . .kill to have hair like yours."  
  
Double Damn!  
  
"Ray gave her a sceptical look. "Riiiigggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhttttttttttttttttttt."  
  
Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn!  
  
Ray tied his hair up in it's usual wrap and presented the brush to her. "Thanks."  
  
Maeve found she couldn't look him in the eye. "Your welcome."  
  
"I'd better go and get dressed before the others get back, eh?"  
  
"Yeah." Whispered Maeve, staring at the hair brush.  
  
Ray walked passed her leaving Maeve alone in the room, staring at the hair brush. She raised it to her cheek and ran the handle where Ray had held it along her cheek, tears pricking her eyes.  
  
"Why dose he make me feel this way?" She asked quietly.  
  
~*~  
  
Brendan flew through her bedroom window and landed on her bedside table. Maeve quickly rubbed away the tears.  
  
"So that was him?" Asked Brendan. "Well, he's certainly a handsome boy. Dose he normally walk round wearing only a towel?"  
  
Maeve turned scarlet. "No!"  
  
"Bet you wish he did."  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Well I'd better be going, the misses will kill me if I don't come back soon. When's this tournament again?"  
  
"We go to London in two days." Maeve told him. "Say hi to Sillin for me."  
  
"Will do." And with that Brendan flew away. Maeve sighed and got changed into her battle clothes. A pair of tight black jeans, black, high heeled boots with silver buckles. A tight black top with long, baggy selves. Her hair was already in it's usual high plat so she didn't need to do anything there. She pulled on her black gloves and spent a few moments debating weather or not to where her sword belt. She decide to wear it and wrapped the black leather around her waist and did the silver swan buckle up tight.  
  
Suitably dressed she grabbed her black and red beyblade, Scythe and her black and white launcher and made her way back to her training room.  
  
~*~  
  
"Vironise! Icy Claw!" Screamed Reena at her beyblade. The purple wolfs attack began to rip into Scythe. She could see the look of horror on Maeve's face. Reena smiled. "Give up?" She asked her team mate.  
  
Maeve treated her to an evil grin. "You wish. You're gonna regret trying to take us down. Scythe! Final Reality!"  
  
The blade began to spin faster and faster until there was an explosion of white light. A red and black shape took form from the light. Maeve's bitbeast, Scythe. But something was different, instead of his usual Scythe that earned him his name he had a long sword that burned with black fire. He raised it and brought it down on top of Reena's blade, there was a blinding flash of red light and Vironise went flying from the ring and crashed into the far wall. Scythe still in the middle of the dish, spinning.  
  
"What do you think of my new attack then?" A smug Maeve told a shocked Reena, as she went to reclaim her blade. Scythe flew out of the ring and into Maeve's hand.  
  
"Well done." Kai told Maeve from his little corner where he had been watching. "Reena, I can't believe that you didn't see that coming!"  
  
"Hey, gimme a break will ya!" Reena turned to her team mate. "Wicked attack Maeve-Maeve?"  
  
Maeve was standing stock still, her eyes staring blankly ahead. "No." She whispered. "Not now. Not her!"  
  
She took from the room as quick as lightening, ignoring her companions queries about what was wrong. She ran along the corridor till she came to the top of the stairs. The stairs over looked the large front door of Bitson Manor. The doors were now starting to open and from them floated a familiar and mocking voice.  
  
"Hallo Sear-fee."  
  
Maeve narrowed her eyes that burned with green fire. "Delphine! What the bloody hells are you doing here!" 


End file.
